Leaf-turner



4 Sheets-Sheet 2. Z. THUOT.

LEAF TURNER.

(No Model.)

No. 537,733. Patented Apr. 16,1895.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3,

Z. THUOT.

LEAP TURNER.

No2 537,733. Patented Apr. 16,1895

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 4. Z. THUOT.

LEAF TURNER.

NoJ 537,733. l PatkenltedApr. 16,1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZEPHIRIN THUOT, OF FALL RlVER, MASSACHUSET"S.

LEAF-TU RN ER.

ELECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,733, dated April 16, 189 5.

Application inea octobe- 9,1894, sel-in No. 525,440. N0 model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ZEPHIRIN THUo'r, of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leat'-'l`iii'ne1s, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices known as leaf-turners, designed for use principally with the piano, for turning the leaves of a piece or book of music resting on the ordinary lyre of the piano or on a special lyre connected with the leaf-turner.

My invention has in view a device of this character which will take the form of a stand,

and may be convenientlyoperated by pressure of the foot on a treadle.

The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate an einbodirnent of the invention.

Figure l shows a perspective view of the complete apparatus, including a lyre on which a piece of music is represented as resting. Fig. 2 shows a perspective View, on an enlarged scale, of a part of the connections for transmitting the foot-power. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of what may be termed the head of the machine, illustrating the most of the leaf engaging fingers as having been swung over. Fig. 4. shows a similar View, illustrating certain carrying devices in the act of swinging one of the leaf-engaging lingers. Figs. 5 and 6 show the head in front elevation, and illustrate operative and inoperative adjustments of the leaf-engaging fingers. Fig. 7 shows in front elevationa form of lyre specially adapted for use in connection with the leaf-turner. Fig. 8 shows said lyre in side elevation, resting on the piano. Fig. 9 shows a rear perspective of a portion of the lyre.

The letter a designates a tripod on which is erected a telescopic standard a whose up per end supports a pair of horizontal rods or bars a2 connected together at their forward ends by a bend a5. These rods support a pendent frame b from which a lyre b may be suspended. A bracket b2 is pivoted at points h3 to ears on the frame b, so as to be capable of shifting horizontally, and said bracket has a forward-projecting handle b4 which, when engaged with a spring-latch h5, holds the bracket fixed; but when disengaged from said latch, serves as a means for shifting the bracket to accomplish a purpose hereinafter' explained. There is a set of leaf-engaging lingers c, having horizontal branches c pivoted on studs c2 carried by the bracket b2. These fingers are intended to swing through a semi-circle, and thereby turn the leaves, one after another. The means for actuating the said lingers one by one are of the following description: A horizontal arm il is pivoted to the frame l) at the point d which, it is to be particularly noted, is in a vertical line to one side of the axis of the swinging fingers. Vith the lingers in their normal position, that is, swung to the right, and the said arm d also swung to the right, the end of the latter projects across in front of the outermost finger. The arm carries a sliding catch d' which is projected by a spring d2 and has a beveled face which effects the retraction of the catch when it encounters this outermost finger, until the beveled face passes the latter, when the catch springs behind the said linger. It will nowtbe seen that a hold is had on the finger, so that by swinging the arm d. the linger will be swung; but as this same arm is to come back for the next liuger,it must be retracted from in front of each finger so it will be free to liy back. This retraction is effected by the eccentricity of the arm with respect to the fingers, as heretofore mentioned, for the arm being pivoted to the right of the linger, the swinging of these two parts to the left varies their longitudinal relation, so that the linger is moved free of the arm. This occurs in the first quarter of the movement, and an auxiliary arm c is provided to carry the finger on, said auxiliary arm being arranged to advance behind the linger before the primary arm dis retracted. The auxiliary arm is pivoted to an ear of the frame l) at the point c', which, it will be observed, is in a vertical line in front of the axis of the lingers, so that in swinging, said arm changes its longitudinal relation with the lingers, and in this way its projection and retraction is effected. The auxiliary arm has sliding engagement with the primary arm which carries av bracket c2 loosely embracing the arm c.

On the journalof the arm d there is affixed a drum cl3, and on this drum is wound a cord or band d4, which is carried in two stretches back between the rods d2, passing under sheaves d5 supported between said rods near their outer ends, and over sheaves d6 supported between the rods near the standard a. The stretches of the band extend down, along the standard a', and are connected respectively with straps f andf. Under the tripod a and connected therewith is a rectanguiar frame g in which are journaled certain sheaves g', g2, and gg, the sheaves g and g2 having a common axis near one end of the frame, and the sheave g3 being located near the opposite end of the frame. A rod 7L is fitted to slide longitudinally through the frame, and carries a cross-head hto which the strapsfand j" are fastened. The strap fpasses down in front of the sheave g', and the strap j" passes under the sheave g2 and back around the sheave g3, and is then brought forward tothe cross-head. It will be seen that this arrangementprovides for movement of the straps in opposite directions.

The rod 7L extends forward between two rods t, which are fastened in the frame g, and through cross-pieces t" and t2 connecting said rods t'. A spiral springj is connected at one end with the cross-piece t" and at the other end with a collar ySon the rod h, and this spring holds the latter normally pushed outward and through the connections described throws the finger-engagingarms (Zand @over to the right.

A standard t* rises from the outercross-bar i2, and a treadle 7.: is pivoted to this standard and connected by a link c with the rod 71.. By depressing` this treadle, the said rod may be moved back against the stress of the springj.

The operation is as follows:-'l`he fingers c are adjusted between the leaves to be turned, and are all moved to the right. The springj, acting through the slide-rod 7L, the strap f', the band all, and drum d3, presses the arm d against the outermost one ofthe fingers c with such force as to carry the catch d behind said finger, so that the latter is between this catch and the end-portion of the arm, as shown in Fig. 3. The auxiliary arm e is normally retracted from position for engagement with the finger. Upon depressing the treadle 7c, the rod h is pushed back and the strap f thereby pulled down,while the strapf is slackened. This causes rotation of thedrum d3 in a direction to swing the arm d to the left, and with it the auxiliary arm c. Before the parts have moved very far,the arm eis projected behind the finger by reason of the relative locations of the axes of the finger and that arm; and when the parts have moved somewhat farther, the arm d is retracted from engagement with the finger by reason of the eccentricity of this arm with respect to the linger. The finger is at first carried by the arm d, and then by the auxiliary arm c; and so when the treadle is released, these arms are both free to swing back, leaving the finger which they have moved to the left with the leaf. 4Inmiediately upon pressure being removed from the treadle, the spring j swings the two arms back and engages the arm d with the next finger. Then all the fingers have been moved over to the left, in order to get them back to their normal position back of the arm d, thc latch b5 is depressed and the bracket b2 shifted to the right by working the handle tf1. This movement of the bracket b2 carries the fingers beyond the end of the arm d (see Fig. C), and the latter being brought out in front of the finger, the bracketis moved back to its original position, carrying the fingers behind the arm d.

In conjunction with the leaf-turner, I employ a lyre of special construction, which is best shown in Figs. 7, S, and O. The lyre is made in two sections or halves hinged together, as shown at nt in Fig. O. Each section is composed of wires m fastened to a bar m2, and other wires m3 extending transversely to the wires m and fastened thereto. At the bottom, the wires are bent out to form a ledge m'l for the music to rest upon. At the top, there are offset wires m5 between which and the top wires m posts hf ofthe frame b fit. By this arrangement, the lyre is held in proper `relation to the leaf-turner and at the same time can be moved laterally, the wires m5 and m sliding along the posts ZW; and moreover the engagement of the posts, Zi, with the two sections of the lyre, has the effect of holding the latter open.

The lyre stands upon the ledge of the ordinary piano-lyre, as shown in Fig. 2, and is provided with extensible legs 'n pivoted to the top wires m5 so as to fold, and arranged to be set at different adjustments by means ofyokes 1t pivoted to the rear side of the lyre and embracing collars n2 fitted to slide on the legs n and carrying set-screws n3. These legs have suitablypadded feet n* to bear on the ledge of the piano lyre.

As a means for holding sheet-music at the middle, I provide clips o which are mounted on the ends of' bow-springs o fastened to the rear sides of one of the bars m2. These clips extend over the frontof said bar, and are designed to clamp the sheet-music against the bar. Additional means for holding the sheetmusic are provided in the form of springclasps p pivotally mounted on wires nt" extending bet Neen and fastened to certain of the wires m. T"Vhen not in use, these clasps can be turned back out of the way.

In order to prevent one leaf from turning with another, by the action of the air, I provide a hold-back device in the form of' a rublv ber-covered looped wire r adapted to bear against the leaves and being mounted on a holder 0" fitted to slide on two of the wires m and accommodate itself to different-sized pieces of music.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

l. In a music leaf-turner, the combination ICO IIC)

of a number of leaf-engaging fingers each comprising a horizontal member pivoted at one end and a vertical member to act against vthe leaf; a horizontally swinging finger-actuating arm extending across in front of the vertical members of the leaf-engaging fingers with the latter in their initial position; a sliding spring-pressed catch on said arm somewhat back of its end and beveled for engagement with the fingers,-said catch retracted by pressure of its bevel against the vertical member of any of the fingers so that it may spring` behind such finger and confine it between the projecting end of the actuating arm and the catch; and means for oscillating said arm.

2. In a music leafturner, the combination of a set of leaf-engaging fingers pivoted to swing horizontally, a pair of finger-carrying arms pivoted eccentrically to each other and to the fingers and onehaving sliding engagement with the other and the other having a catch for engagement with the fingers, and means for oscillating the arms.

3. In a music leaf-turner, the combination of a set of leaf-engaging fingers pivoted to swing horizontally, an arm pivoted eccentrically to said fingers and adapted to extend in front of them when at the end of its movement in one direction, said arm being provided with a spring-held catch to take behind the fingers, means for oscillating the arm, and an auxiliary arm pivoted eccentrically to the fingers and to the primary arm and having sliding engagement with the latter, said auX- iliary arm being normally Withdrawn from engagement with the fingers and adapted to be projected behind the same when moved by the primary arm.

4. In a music leaf-turner, the combination of a movable bracket, a setof leaf-engaging fingers pivoted to said bracket, a latch for holding the bracket in position to have the fingers operative, a pair of finger-carrying arms pivoted eccentrically to each other and to the fingers, one designed to extend in front of the fingers with the latter in operative position and being equipped with a catch to take behind the fingers, and the other having a sliding engagement with its mate, and means for oscillating the arms.

5. In a music leaf-turner, the combination of a set of horizontally swinging leaf-engaging fingers, a horizontally swinging arm having a spring-pressed catch 'for engagement with the fingers, a drum on the journal of said arm, aband winding on said drum and springactuated in one direction, anda treadle operatively connected with said band to impel it in opposition to the spring.

6. In a music leaf-turner, the combination of a supporting stand, horizontally swinging leaf-engaging fingers, a swinging finger-driving device, straps operatively connected with the latter, a spring-held slide with which said straps are connected, a sheave under which one of the straps passes to the slide, a pair of sheaves under and over which the other strap passes to the slide, and a treadle operatively connected with the slide to impel it in opposition to the spring.

7. In a music leaf-turner, the combination of a set of horizontally swinging leaf-engaging fingers, a horizontally swinging arm having a spring-pressed catch for engagement With the fingers, a drum on the journal of said arm, a band winding on said drum, a pair off straps connected with said band, a spring-held slide with which said bands are connected, a sheave under which one of the bands passes, a pair of sheaves over and under which the other strap passes to the slide, and a treadle operatively connected with the said slide to impel it in opposition to the spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 1st day of October, A. D. 1894:.

ZEPHIRIN TI'IUOT.

Witnesses:

N. HATHEWAY, ALEXANDER THUOT. 

